But now that I’ve discovered that I can indulge all of my butter cravings, I’m realizing I need more checks in place; after all, isn’t the point of this experiment not just to eat plant-based, but healthier—and hopefully, a little slimmer?

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Dishing on my dietary changes with Felice Léon, the established vegan, marathoner and video producer here at The Root confirmed that veganism doesn’t automatically equate to lower body mass. After all, I’m sure we all know more than a few fluffy vegans, though their cholesterol may be far lower than their carnivorous counterparts.

“At some points, I would tell myself that I could eat what I wanted since I gave up meat,” Felice admits, reflecting on her early days of going vegan. “At one point, I actually gained weight—I needed to find the right proteins and portions...and we all know that french fries will still be french fries, either way you slice ’em,” she laughed.

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Point taken—and speaking of points, I’m thinking that bringing an old and faithful friend along for the remainder of this journey may help me keep my intake in check as I explore this plant-based life. So, in addition to following 22 Days, I’ll be tracking my meals on my Weight Watchers app—which should also allow me some comparative analysis on how much I was able to eat in my meat and dairy-loving life as opposed to now.

All that to say stay tuned...because I’m not ruling vegan brown butter sauce out.